A Polk County man convicted in 2009 in the high-profile murder of a gay man will get a new trial.

Joseph Bearden, 29, was convicted of killing Ryan Skipper, 25, and has been serving a life sentence in prison since 2009. On Thursday, the Florida Supreme Court overturned that conviction and called for a new trial.

“He does see light at the end of the tunnel now,” Carol Bearden said about her son. “Where before, he didn’t have any light.”

Bearden was accused of being an accomplice to William Brown Jr., who was found guilty of first degree murder for the stabbing death of Skipper. The hate crime murder of the gay victim made national headlines at the time.

The Foley and Lardner law firm in Tampa said they took on Bearden’s appeal pro bono because they believed a Polk County judge violated his constitutional rights by not allowing a confession into the trial.

“No one accused Mr. Bearden of wielding the knife,” said attorney Larry Dougherty. "Our client's entire defense at the trial was that this other man had been there. The confession of that other man was never allowed into Mr. Bearden’s trial.”

Skipper’s stepdad, Lynn Mulder, said his family was surprised by the ruling.

“It’s kind of numbing and it rips open wounds that you thought have healed,” he said. “I think that there were more people involved in the murder of my son. I don’t think they had enough evidence to convict all people that were involved.”

Attorney Mike Matthews said the ruling does not set Bearden free from prison. Instead, it entitles Bearden to a new trial. Matthews said it’s a weak case and he hopes Polk County prosecutors decide to drop it.

“There’s no physical evidence even placing Mr. Bearden at the scene at the time of the murder,” he said. “His main accuser against him was the one who confessed to being the one there and that’s the confession that the Florida Supreme Court said today should’ve come in at trial and it would come in at a new trial. So, we would hope enough is enough and that this is the end of this matter.”

Matthews said the ruling is historic because it’s the first constitutional due process reversal of a murder conviction for the exclusion of another person’s confession by the Florida Supreme Court.

Bearden’s mom said she’s hopeful that justice will prevail.

“I believe the truth is going to come out. It’s got to,” she said. “Can’t keep going on like this and I do believe the Skipper’s family does deserve some justice. I don’t believe my son did it.”

A jury also convicted Bearden of grand theft of a motor vehicle and he was sentenced to five years in prison. Bearden’s defense team is not challenging that conviction.